Finlay Thatcher is a lost soul, guilt-ridden after the death of her twin brother. When Alabama's football coach gives her the opportunity to work for him, she knows it's her chance to move on, even if it means living her brother's dream.

Caden Brooks is Alabama's star quarterback. He's got it all. The attention of adoring fans. A girlfriend who'd do anything to hold on to him. And a future in the pros. He's getting along just fine until Finlay steps into his life, despising him at first sight and pushing his buttons like no other.

Unfortunately for Finlay, and her attempt to keep Caden at arm's length, there's nothing Caden loves more than a challenge. The problem with this challenge is she comes with a secret that has the power to destroy everything.

Excerpt

“Do me a favor and don’t become some crazy stalker,” I warned Caden as he parked in front of my dorm, insisting on driving the final leg of our trip.

He turned to me with a grin. “Chances are I will. You have that effect on me.”

“Well, just don’t show up late at night looking to get busy.”

He threw back his head and his laughter filled the rental car.

“I’m serious,” I said with a straight face. “I may be entertaining another guy. Or worse, I have a roommate who’ll not only stay for the action, but’ll ask to join in.”

He leaned toward me with quirked lips. “Well that’s good. Because you’re definitely all I can handle.” He pressed his lips to mine, the kiss going straight to my knees. Even with students passing by on their way home from their Monday afternoon classes—the ones we missed, Caden had no intention of stopping, clutching my cheeks and holding me to him.

I could feel myself falling. Falling hard. And it scared the hell out of me. One of us had to stop before things got too intense right there for all to see. So I grabbed the door handle and pulled back from him, leaving us both dragging air into our lungs as if starved for it. “I’ve got to get inside.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” he said with a devilish grin that did crazy things to my insides.

“Can you turn anything I say into something dirty?”

He considered my question. “Is that a challenge or a question?”

I rolled my eyes, which just brought out a bigger smile. I wished I could smile too, but the thought that we’d be heading back to the real world made me uneasy. I didn’t want to act like I expected anything from him now that our road trip had ended. I wouldn’t be that girl. “So…I guess I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.” I tried to step out of the car, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back in.

He stared me down, looking more pissed than I’d seen him with Grady. “Yes, you’ll see me at practice tomorrow. But you’ll see me tonight because you’re staying at my place.”

The tenseness I’d felt just seconds before disappeared. “Is that a challenge or a question?”

J. Nathan is the author of the new adult novels For Finlay, Before Hadley, Until Alex, and Since Drew. When she's not writing, she's a total romance junkie! Add an alpha male who's unlikable in the beginning...even better. Happy endings are a must. Love triangles and negative people are the bane of her existence. Her family, friends, guys in backwards hats, and watermelon margaritas are the light…